Property Rights

Founding Father Arthur Lee said, “The right of property is the guardian of every other right. And to deprive a people of this, is to deprive them of their liberty.” The JMI Center for Property Rights believes such rights were critical to the foundation of our country and are equally critical in our generation to its ongoing role as the “land of the free.”

Sadly, government and certain advocacy groups are often at work to restrict or eliminate the use of property through regulations and misuse of laws such as eminent domain. JMI works to remain vigilant and engaged by exposing such attempts and offering good public policies to protect private property rights.

JMI seeks to maximize an owner’s right to use property to achieve an expected economic expectation. JMI’s Center also addresses the expansion of both federal and state land ownership, advocating that, unless a good rationale for public ownership is needed, property is best left in private ownership.

Recent News

Energy companies are operating in ways that are ever-cleaner and less carbon intense. Companies are producing abundant and available amounts of natural gas, thus helping to reduce our reliance on less clean fuels. (Susan Stocker/Staff file photo) Climate change activists are calling for Florida municipalities to join a wave [...]

Climate change activists are calling for Florida municipalities to join a wave of lawsuits against the oil and gas industry. This legal movement, which began in San Francisco, Oakland and other California cities and counties, seeks to hold oil and gas companies responsible for what activists say is their [...]

(pdf download) Statement on the 2018 Legislative Session from JMI’s President and CEO “The 2018 Florida Legislative Session was an important session for Florida’s future. The policy team at The James Madison Institute worked overtime in Tallahassee and beyond to inform state policymakers on efforts to advance limited government, [...]